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starting to breastfeed 2 week old

My little girl will be 2 weeks tomorrow. I started her off on formula in the hospital because in my family that's just what they did. I am now starting to feel guilty and as if I have missed out on not breastfeeding. I am lactating and I want to try and breastfeed. I tried yesterday and she latched on in correctly and when I broke the seal she wanted nothing to do with it after that. Does anyone have any advice on how I should start breastfeeding my 2 week old? She is my 1st and I have no one who has experience to talk too.

Re: starting to breastfeed 2 week old

Hello and welcome to the forum!

Do you have any local lactation consultants/professionals available to help? Sometimes they will be located in private practices or pediatrician's offices. There are also WIC/public health nurses available who may be able to try to help as well. Babies have to suck differently on the breast than they do with bottles, so if you're not already, I would try using slow-flow nipples with a wide base that are more breastfeeding friendly, and used paced bottle techniques (keeping the bottle more horizontal, offering frequent rests/breaks, etc.). You may try expressing a little milk to have on your nipple to entice your baby to open really wide in order to get a good latch. You may try compressing your breast to help your baby stay sucking patiently on the breast. I'm not sure if you said she latched correctly or incorrectly, but you want her to take a mouth full of areola. Initially for the first few seconds or so, until she draws the nipple and areola farther back into her mouth, you may have some discomfort but that should quickly go away. Nursing should not be painful. Milk supply is all supply and demand, so I would try to nurse her as frequently as possible. If you are able to get a hospital grade pump, that would help to maximize your milk production by pumping after each nursing session. It would be helpful to have someone offer her a bottle after you nurse while you pump if there is someone else to help. These first few weeks are vital in determining your long-term milk supply, so nursing and pumping as much as possible is what you would want to do. There are some herbal supplements available that supposedly may help with milk production, but effective and frequent milk removal is by far the best and most important. That's wonderful that you're wanting to breastfeed your baby! Even in the event that you aren't able to fully breastfeed your baby, you both can still enjoy its many physical and emotional benefits and have an enjoyable breastfeeding relationship. Best of luck to you!

Re: starting to breastfeed 2 week old

Continue to offer in a calm manner. Stimulate the breasts in the meantime. Hand expression will work for now until you get a pump but the most important thing is you remove the milk from your breasts do they get the message to continue making more. You'll want to aim for 10-12 nursing pumping sessions in a day. They don't have to be every so many hours but try not to go over 3-4 hours while you're building your supply. Search this site for info on a local LLL leader and check for a lactation consultant (preferably a IBCLC-international board certified lactation consultant) in your area to get hands help. You won't regret the effort you put into nursing your child.

Re: starting to breastfeed 2 week old

Some babies need to be held in a particular position to latch correctly and others take to it quite naturally. The Kelly Mom Articles linked above are a good starting place. Make sure when you try to latch that you are calm about it and if she doesn't go for it right away, don't try to force it, try again later. You can't force a baby to breast feed. My LO during the first few weeks would latch onto anything even remotely resembling a nipple even if it was moving past him at speed, I got a few painful hickies when he latched onto the side of my breast or my arm instead of my nipple.

If your LO still has her rooting reflex and the tendency to kick her feet into you then you might be able to let her do baby led latching.http://www.llli.org/btissue5pg04

Re: starting to breastfeed 2 week old

Many great ideas above. Is there La Leche League or any other breastfeeding support groups near where you are? Getting support wherever you can is so important.
It is very very early days. There is a very good chance you will be able to breastfeed your baby. No reason to feel guilty if you do not, but if this is something you want for yourself and your child, you both deserve your efforts to make it happen.